Business Articles Research

Employers Use Social Networking for Research

Nearly half of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates, according to a survey released by CareerBuilder.comThe Web site reported 45 percent of employers who use networking sites to find candidates or do background checks. Another 29 percent use Facebook, 26 percent use Linked In, 21 percent use MySpace, 11 percent search blogs and 7 percent use Twitter. At 63 percent, information technology is the top industry for employers that use social networking sites to screen candidates. Next are and professional and business services at 53 percent.Content that caused employers to not hire candidates included posting of provocative or inappropriate photographs, content about a candidate drinking or taking drugs, bad-mouthing of a previous employer, poor communication skills and making discriminatory comments.However, some content encouraged employers to hire a candidate. This included profiles that provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit (references), supported professional qualifications, showed the candidate was creative and showed solid communication skills, which the survey said was vital.The survey included 2,667 hiring managers and human resource professionals in the U. S.